


YGO Fictober 2018

by SadistiKitteh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Awkward Crush, Card Games, Cemetery, Character Study, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fake Blood, Fake Character Death, Falling In Love, Fictober 2018, First Anniversary, Gen, Genderswap, Guns, Halloween, Haunted Houses, Kul Elna, M/M, Magic, Motorcycles, Multi, Original Character(s), Parenthood, Play Fighting, Scars, Sexual Roleplay, Sparring, Swordplay, Thiefdads, Vampires, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2019-09-19 23:17:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 11,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17011044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadistiKitteh/pseuds/SadistiKitteh
Summary: A collection of oneshots and drabbles prompted via a phrase for fictober18 on Tumblr. Tags not added will be mentioned in the notes at the beginning of each chapter, mainly mentions of possibly triggering subjects.





	1. Boundshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1- "Can you feel this"

"Can you feel this?" 

Bakura froze at the touch across his right cheek, swatting the offending hand away when he registered what was happening. "Of course I can. You're being distracting." 

Yugi smiled innocently, though his eyes gave away his mischievous intent. Bakura had been coming to visit Yugi more often since repairing things between himself and Malik. It was never to escape a fight, rather to indulge Malik's insistence to 'get out more'. Malik never said it had to be outside. 

He had brought along his new laptop this time, wanting to at least try to get some work done. But Yugi seemed to be having none of that today. 

"I can only imagine what sort of story is behind that scar." 

Bakura snorted indignantly, glancing Yugi's way. "Not all scars have great stories behind them, Mutou." 

Yugi moved closer, and Bakura allowed him to use his shoulder as a headrest. "I won't judge, if you want to tell me how you got it." 

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Leave it alone, Yugi." 

Yugi grinned, looking at the screen of Bakura's laptop with feigned interest. "You didn't do it on purpose to look more attractive, did you?" 

Bakura's cheeks flushed with colour, turning to fully shove Yugi away as the other man laughed. "Now you're just testing my patience." Bakura said, though the small smirk tugging his lips showed there was little malice behind the words. 

Bakura turned to his laptop to close the program and shut his laptop for good, figuring Yugi wasn't going to leave him be until he took a break. "Since you're intent on making me not work, I suppose trying to get anything done is pointless." 

Yugi propped himself up by his elbows, tilting his head. "Well, since you're finished..." 

He then leapt off the couch, picking up two decks of Duel Monsters cards. One of which was set in front of Bakura before Yugi sat back down himself. "Can we play? Just one round?" 

Bakura frowned at the deck in front of him, a feeling of bitterness welling up as he spoke. "Yugi, you know very well how this will end." 

But Yugi insisted, gesturing to the deck in front of Bakura. "Just one game, I'll even let you put down the first monster you draw. No matter how many stars it has." 

Bakura raised an eyebrow, then sighed in defeat. He picked up the first card, barely paying attention to what he drew as he set it on the table. He noticed Yugi start to smile, and Bakura rolled his eyes. "What? Did you put Slifer in my-" 

It wasn't Slifer. Bakura looked down only to see his Ka staring up at him. His hands shook a little, remembering when he had last used this card. A part of him felt shame, having watched Diabound corrupt slowly from Zorc's influence but let himself be assured it was a sign of his Ka being strengthened. Not corrupted. 

"I asked Ryou, he gave me the cards you always used. He told me he thought this one was special to you, he didn't want to keep it." 

Bakura was pulled out of his thoughts at the mention of his previous host, and he looked away from the card, almost pushing it away. "I don't deserve this card back, Yugi." 

Yugi blinked, now registering the distress on Bakura's face at the sight of the card. "Bakura..." 

"You've seen the things I did with this monster. You _know_ the things I did to Ryou, to you," Bakura scoffed, pulling himself away from the deck in front of him, "I let myself forget my people in pursuit of power." 

Yugi looked at Bakura, then at Diabound Kernel, then back at Bakura. He set his deck aside, putting a hand on Bakura's arm. "Let the card decide, then." 

Bakura's nose wrinkled and he huffed. "Heart of the cards never worked for me, Mutou." 

"No, hear me out," Yugi said, adjusting himself so he sat beside Bakura, "I never dueled with this in your deck before. I believe that, if you were worthy of it, you could win with this card." 

Bakura shook his head, looking at Diabound with a hint of guilt. "You'd win. Or you'd throw the match to make me hopeful." 

"I promise, I wouldn't do that to you," Yugi said, moving so he could look into Bakura's eyes, "That card is important to you. We're not using holograms or shadow magic here, just us playing a simple game." 

Bakura looked into Yugi's eyes a moment, before sighing and looking at the card still left on the table. "Alright. One game." 

Bakura moved his laptop to make room for their game and opened a text program to use to monitor their life points. He was nervous, but Yugi seemed to have faith that he could do well. They shuffled each other's decks before starting, Bakura's eyes wandering to the monster on his field. He was wary of how Yugi played, trusting that the King of Games would not go easy on him just for this. 

It was a difficult game, both duelists whittling each other's life points down into the hundreds. Bakura took a chance, attacking Yugi's monster while two cards were still face down behind them. Yugi giving no sign of a trap, he risked attacking directly with Diabound. 

Yugi turned to the laptop, and wiped the remaining life points from the text box. 

Bakura frowned, looking at the two face down cards on Yugi's side of the field. "You didn't activate those." 

"I couldn't." Yugi responded, picking the face down cards up and showing them to Bakura, "Neither of these could've been activated that turn." 

Bakura read the cards carefully as if scrutinizing for any mistake Yugi could have made but found nothing. Shakily, he picked up Diabound Kernel and put it in his deck. He didn't look up from his hand, still reeling from his apparent win against the King of Games. 

"Thank you, Yugi." 

It was barely a whisper, but Yugi could hear the sincerity of it. He smiled gently, collecting the cards in his graveyard to shuffle back into his deck. "I knew you could do it, Bakura."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course...gotta start off with Boundshipping lol.
> 
> This kinda took an angsty turn, and I didn't mean it to;; This is also kinda part of the On The Rebound-verse, so I suppose that explains the angst. (It was either this or it'd be this way because of his scar story if you think about it :P)


	2. Powershipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2- "People like you have no imagination"

“People like you have no imagination.” 

Kaiba lifted his head from the monitor he was working on, watching annoyed as Malik plucked a Blue Eyes figurine from his desk. Malik then moved to the nearby couch and flopped onto it, thoughtlessly pressing his finger into the mouth of the figurine. 

"And what, exactly, makes you believe that?" Kaiba asked, sitting back in his desk chair and crossing his arms. 

Malik looked over at Kaiba and shot him a toothy grin, pointing the Blue Eyes in his direction. "Every bit of the work you've done has been coding, you've never done design work." 

"And why should I?" Kaiba snorted, standing from his chair to grab back the figurine. 

Malik, of course, held it away from him. 

"That's not my point. You never seem to think of ideas outside of Duel Monsters." 

"KaibaLand?" 

Malik raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing smirk. "Still Duel Monster themed, and not just your idea if I remember what you told me." 

Malik offered the figurine back, slowly standing and stepping to face Kaiba. He placed his hands on Kaiba's shoulders, kneading his fingers into the muscles of his neck. "I know you're a busy man, Kaiba. But I can't help but notice our outings so far have followed a...cliche?" 

Kaiba tried to hide his blush, or at least turn his head away so he didn't have to see Malik's knowing eyes. He felt even more embarrassed, that he considered his first date with the other man to be a duel. 

He said he'd only wanted to see how he'd fare without the Egyptian God cards, and Malik's request that it was without holograms made the duel feel more intimate than he expected. That's why he'd called Malik today, he wanted to revisit those feelings again. His hands involuntarily wandered to Malik's waist, only resting there as Malik continued rubbing his shoulders. 

Malik noticed Kaiba had gone quiet, and gave him the moment to think before speaking again. "I brought a second helmet, come ride with me." 

Kaiba met Malik's gaze, and felt a need to look away from the piercing stare. He didn't back down though. "Really? And here I thought I was the one lacking imagination." 

Malik chuckled, his fingers moving up Kaiba's spine to gently rub there. Kaiba swore he could see a hint of colour on Malik's cheeks. "You shared what you're passionate about with me, I thought I'd share mine." 

Malik seemed to hesitate, as if he was unsure of his next words. "I didn't bring the sidecar, so you'll need to sit behind me." 

Kaiba straightened at that, remembering just how uncomfortable Malik had been about his back. The fact Malik was okay with Kaiba pressing against him, filled Kaiba with a thrill he couldn't yet understand. 

He set the figurine in his hand on the table, before gently grasping and squeezing Malik's arm. "I'll be careful." 

Malik was taken aback by the sincerity of Kaiba's words, having expected something more sarcastic about Kaiba's abilities. He only nodded, stepping away from Kaiba to collect his riding jacket from the coat rack. "We won't be long, but I promise this will be worth it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was not only different because of the pairing, but this was...my first time writing Kaiba! This is a pairing that I enjoy, but never really seek out fic or anything unless I'm in a mood for it. Probably something to do with the dynamic between them -shrug-


	3. Thief King Bakura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3- "How can I trust you?"
> 
> **Warnings:** mentions of genocide (Kul Elna, duh), starvation, and injury.

“How can I trust you?” The thief asked out loud, his question echoing around him. 

Since having to watch his village melted into gold, he had survived on his own. He grew bitter of the happy families around him, seeing so many villages like his own thriving and happy. There was never a food-starved belly among them. 

No family would take him in, no matter how many tears he shed. His hair was an omen, they said. He stopped trying to find a new home, just as he stopped believing he could find a new family. 

His lessons as a thief were hard ones; if his hair hadn't deterred people from housing him before, the gash over his eye that he desperately tried to heal himself would have. 

It was when the wound had healed into a scar that he'd returned to his only home, trying to block the wails of his only family as he trudged into their sole resting place. If you could call the Millenium Tablet a resting place. 

He knelt to pay respects, resting his hand on the strangely warm metal as the ghosts of Kul Elna swirled around him. They welcomed him with louder wails and he felt ice fingertips touch his face and hair. 

So when the demon made itself known, scattering the only family he had left, Bakura felt bitter. The demon, Zorc, offered him a way to bring his family peace. Told him he could even have his revenge, that the demon would lend him his power. That he would strengthen his Ka to help bring the Pharaoh to his knees. 

An opportunity for revenge. 

He just needed to return the Items to the Tablet, and Zorc would free them all. He couldn't tell if the fresh peal of wails were in protest or rejoicing. 

"How can I trust you?" Bakura repeated, lifting his head to meet the demon's piercing red gaze. 

" ** _Do you have a choice?_** " Zorc replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so this...is about the beginning of me unintentionally using these prompts as character study/exploration. And it's mainly focused on TKB. Also one of the first drabbles, as it's not very long~


	4. Thiefshipping (Parent AU)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4- "Will that be all?"
> 
> This is the oneshot with the original character, so skip this if you don't want to read. -shrug-

“Will that be all?” Bakura asked curtly, his patience with the teacher wearing thin. 

Malik's hand resting on his arm was the only thing keeping him from storming out of the classroom for wasting their time. Bakura at times admired how Malik could mask his true feelings, but even he could tell that mask was starting to crack. 

"Yes, that's all," The teacher replied, reaching a hand out to Bakura, "Thank you again for coming in." 

Malik took the hand and shook it firmly, knowing Bakura would sooner kiss the Pharaoh's feet, gently pulling Bakura to his feet as he stood. "Thank you for calling us." 

Bakura didn't resist Malik pulling him out of the room, or the brisk pace he'd set to get away from the classroom. Malik spotted a vacant classroom and slipped in, knowing Bakura was moments away from- 

"What the HELL is wrong with these goddamn teachers?!" 

There it was. 

"Ruby was protecting themself; we're not responsible for how they react to those other brats." Bakura's voice grew louder as he started to pace in front of the desk, "We're raising our child just fine, the other parents are just letting their children treat other kids like garbage!" 

"I know, Bakura, we both know that." Malik assured his boyfriend, trying to keep his own temper level. 

"I never taught Ruby to hurt anyone unless they tried to first, how dare he suggest I'm being an irresponsible-" 

Bakura stopped pacing, catching his breath through gritted teeth. Malik moved from his seat then, seeing Bakura's hands shake. He gently took Bakura's hands, holding them to his chest to let Bakura feel his calmer breaths and guide himself to breathe similarly. 

"You're a good father, Bakura." Malik said quietly after a moment, moving one hand to brush back his hair. "Don't let that old bat get to you." 

Bakura's lips twitched into a smile at that, Malik responding with one of his own. "Let's find our treasure and get home." 

Bakura's smile widened at the affectionate title they gave their child and followed Malik out of the school. Ruby's braided white hair was visible in the playground, and Bakura watched them play on the monkey bars a moment before Malik called them over. "Time to go home, _habibi_." 

Ruby hopped down from the monkey bars and ran over, nearly bowling Bakura over as they crashed into his leg and squeezed. Ruby looked up at the two, bright lavender eyes giving away their quiet nervousness. "Am I in trouble, Dad?" 

Bakura glanced at Malik, then back at Ruby and shook his head. "No, Ruby. Just remember to find an adult to help you before you deal with those kids yourself, alright?" 

He reached down to ruffle Ruby's hair, grinning when they whined and tried to flatten out the bit of braid that loosened up. Malik watched the interaction with fondness, giving Bakura a little nudge for teasing their child. 

"Well Malik," Bakura announced with a grunt as he picked Ruby up and held them over his shoulder, "We've got our treasure, let's get back home!" 

"Daaad!" Ruby groaned, slumping over his shoulder in defeat after their squirming was rendered useless. 

Malik chuckled, giving their child an apologetic pat on the head before the couple headed back to their car. Bakura set Ruby down with a huff, letting them escape into the back seat. "Gods, that was easier when they were still tiny..." 

"Does that mean you'll stop trying to carry Ruby like that?" Malik asked, smiling to himself as he walked around to the driver's side. He already knew the answer. 

"Heck no! I just need to work out more now." 

Bakura slipped into the passenger seat, a satisfied smirk settled on his face hearing the groan from the backseat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I adore...and I mean _ADORE_ Malik and Bakura (TKB and Yami) being dads. This was also a little experiment into adding an OC into my fics, because it's been a while since I have. And Ruby is specifically a thiefbaby I had in my head for a while but never got to write about or flesh out much outside fleeting ideas.
> 
> So Ruby is non-binary, pronouns are they/them (probably not just those in any future fic I write with them). Went for them being born by magic, though I'm debating other reasons (mother put them up for adoption because their hair was a "bad omen"). Ruby has hair similar to Bakura's, and dark skin. Very much TKB-ish in appearance. And aside from Bakura's adorable nickname for them, that's as far as I got!


	5. Zombie AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5- "Take what you need."
> 
> **Warnings:** mention of guns, injury, brief mention of mutilation at the end

“Take what you need.” 

Kaiba threw open the door, stepping aside and crossing his arms as Yugi and his group peered into the warehouse. The amount of weapons carefully stored away were numerous, even first aid kits were stacked in a corner. 

Yugi had known people had been getting supplies from Kaiba Corp in exchange for information and other supplies asked for. Kaiba rarely gave anyone a place to stay, but had allowed Yugi's group to in exchange for one thing. 

"Duel me before you go, and it better not be our last." 

They had been fed and were able to bathe properly with Kaiba having set up water filtration in his mansion. But it couldn't last; Joey still wanted to find Tristan and Tea, Atem needed to figure out why the Gods brought him back again, and Ishizu grew more worried for her brothers fates. 

On top of that, Yugi was worried about Ryou. He had left on his own to check well populated places for the two missing friends, swearing that he'd always keep contact when he'd be able. All communication from him ceased with the group months ago, after they came across Atem, and he grew more concerned about what that meant. So after arguing with Kaiba, and promising they'll still have their duel, Kaiba took them to a hidden warehouse to stock up on weapons. 

Atem held one of the smaller semi-automatics unsteadily, almost as if he was afraid it would go off in his hands. He looked up at Kaiba with gratitude. "Thank you for this, Kaiba." 

Kaiba only grunted and nodded. "Be careful out there; I want a duel from you next when you find what you're looking for, Pharaoh." 

Atem smirked and nodded with confidence, which was quickly wiped from his face when something on the gun clicked. Joey and Yugi were quick to assist him and decided, after making sure the safety was on, that Atem was better suited for a close-combat weapon. 

Just as they were discussing how much they would bring, Yugi and Kaiba off to one side discussing their planned duel, Mokuba came running in, panting heavily. "Seto! Some newcomers want access, they brought news from outside. You won't believe this..." 

Kaiba smirked and put a hand on his hip. "Oh really?" 

"They said they spotted a huge white monster, like a duel monster, south of here. I'm not sure if they're hallucinating or not, but they told me other survivors can back them up." 

Yugi noticed Atem's eyes go round, before he marched over to the brothers. "Did they say what it looked like?" Atem asked. 

"Yeah, it had a human top half, but the other was--" 

"A snake." Atem finished for him, his face grim. "How can he be here?" 

"He?" Ishizu asked, moving closer with everyone else. 

"The thief king." 

Yugi's eyes widened, his lips mouthing Ryou's name. "We'll look into it." Yugi said, suddenly filled with a nervous energy, "What do we have to lose?" 

Kaiba looked tense at Yugi's sudden burst of energy. "Not yet, we have a duel Yugi." 

Yugi was about to argue, but remembered his place and why Kaiba had let them in. His shoulders slumped and he nodded, feeling guilt for his urgency. "Right. Sorry Kaiba, we'll have our duel before we go. I promised." 

* * *

Ryou knelt beside Rishid, tending to his wounds with the care of any nurse while the other two argued. "Just a scratch, I think you'll be okay." he murmured, glancing up in annoyance at his other companions. 

Bakura had his arms crossed, wearing a torn leather vest and a loose pair of slacks that Malik insisted him wear in place of the shenti they found him in. Malik himself was disheveled, his tank top torn in their rush to escape only covered by his riding jacket. His own slacks had a part of the right pant leg torn away, revealing a bite mark that had scarred long ago. 

"I could have gotten Rishid out of there just fine on my own, Bakura." Malik hissed, balling his hands into fists, "You said you didn't want anyone figuring out you're here, even telling Ryou to stop contact with Yugi so we won't be traced. You _literally_ waved a white flag!" 

"No one saw, stop complaining." Bakura sneered. 

"Oh, okay, no one saw that giant monster just pop out of nowhere and throw the undead around. We're somehow so far from people that a glowing white monster wouldn't catch anyone's attention." 

"Gods, you could've gotten yourself killed you insufferable brat." Bakura growled, stepping closer to Malik, "Is that what you want? To die a heroic death?" 

"I'm immune, Bakura-" 

"You're not immune to getting torn to shreds!" 

"Bakura, Malik, enough." Ryou snarled, shocking them both from their argument, "Malik, you're an idiot because you still could've gotten killed. Doesn't matter if you could have helped Rishid or not, it's not worth your life. Bakura, you're an idiot because you didn't just use Diabound to fight the zombies, you carried all of us out here and drained your energy doing so." 

Ryou sighed, slumping back on the makeshift bed next to Rishid. "Frankly we're all bloody idiots for thinking that alarm wouldn't go off." 

Bakura huffed, then went to sit by Rishid, nudging his leg once settled. "How's the arm, Baldy?" 

Rishid made an amused sound, touching gently over the new bandages. "Sore, but not the worst I've suffered." 

Malik finally relaxed, and sat cross legged next to Ryou. He pulled a canteen from around his waist and unscrewed the lid. "Do you think Ishizu's still out there?" 

Bakura glanced at Malik, shrugging. "She's got as much of a chance as you have in surviving out here." 

"We'll find her," Ryou assured, moving his arm from his face, "We'll find everyone we're looking for. Until I find them zombified or mutilated, I'm not giving up on my friends." 

"Ugh, Ryou..." Malik winced; lowering the canteen and sealing it, before dropping it on Ryou's belly. He carefully stood, somewhat favouring his right leg. "I'm taking first watch."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really not into Zombie Apocalypse stuff, at least not for a while, but I wanted to dabble in it considering it was October :P I may...actually expand on this if enough people are interested in a full story. As much as I'm NOT into it, it was fun to write and a lot of little ideas came up from it.
> 
> Also honestly debated between Malik and Rishid being immune, but I wanted to have Malik bit...because he'd be reckless about it and just _really_ would hate having that responsibility (again).


	6. Thief King Bakura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6- "I heard enough, this ends now."
> 
> _One spark can incite their hope_  
>  And ignite the hearts of their weary souls  
> [I will extinguish that flame](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDXgbdhj5Zc)

“I heard enough, this ends now.” 

The Thief King lowered his head to lock his gaze with the Pharaoh's, a wicked grin spread across his face. "Oh, but you're mistaken. We've only just begun." 

He braced himself, eyeing the priests that almost formed a shield around their Pharaoh. He lifted his hand, feeling the demon's power pressing and stirring against his soul. 

He didn't need it's assistance, not yet. 

"Diabound, Helical Shockwave!" 

His eyes brightened with delight, watching as the monsters the priests desperately summoned to defend against him withered under his Ka's attack. The priests crumpled to their knees. He never needed that demon's power, he could take revenge for himself. 

" ** _You will need me,_** " the demon hissed in his head, " ** _A boy cannot take on a God._** " 

The thief scoffed at the demon, still riding the high of watching the priests bend under his own monster's power. Noticing that Akhenaden still stood, the thief's eyes narrowed. Coward, then he more than deserves to take a full blow. 

"Now to finish you off." he snarled, pointing towards Akhenaden. "Diabound." 

The rage fueling the thief was all Diabound needed, powering up his attack even as the Pharaoh finally stood from his throne. Akhenaden was thrown off his feet, even as other priests attempted to aid him in shielding the Pharaoh. 

When the dust settled, the Pharaoh still stood tall. Shielded by the body of Obelisk. 

"What?" the thief's eyes rounded a moment, before immediately bracing himself for a counter attack. He hissed at the low chuckle in his mind, the demon mocking the thief's eagerness. 

" ** _Well, what are you waiting for boy? Can't you destroy a god?_** " the demon teased. 

The Thief King snarled, gritting his teeth and balling his fists as he stood tall. He would destroy a god. 

" ** _Foolish child._** " 

"Diabound, Let us show the Pharaoh what we think of his God!" 

The monster roared in response, feeding off of the thief's defiance as if eager to prove himself to his master. Diabound raised himself higher as his attack gathered in his hands. The thief glowered across to the Pharaoh, spitting the command with all the vitreol he carried in his heart. 

"Helical Shockwave!" 

The thief was braced for the counter-attack, but still was thrown from his feet. Even as he took the shock, he felt a thrill of power rush through his nerves. His skin buzzed unlike he'd never felt, and when he looked up to see the Pharaoh himself struggling to his feet, he felt it grow stronger. 

"Ha...Haha..." 

The Thief King's laughter grew, eyes flashing red against lavender. He relished the power flowing through his veins, one he believed he always had but only just accessed on his own. He didn't need Zorc, he was a king in his own right. 

Above him, unbeknownst to the thief, Diabound's light dimmed and his form warped as the thief's soul greedily absorbed Zorc's power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another character study, though this is a sort of sequel to the 3rd prompt~ I will post lyrics and links to the songs that heavily inspired a certain prompt, like this one. Just to give a little more atmosphere as you read~


	7. Citronshipping (Genderswap)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7- "No worries, we still have time."  
> Day 8- "I know you do."
> 
> Like the title says, this is a genderswap. Don't like? Move on~

“No worries, we still have time.” Malika soothed as she petted the head of white hair in her lap. 

Bakura huffed in her lap but never moved from her spot, lounging over the pillows and blankets they made into their nest. She was still recovering from their romp, Malika having been eager to break in their makeshift bed. 

She buried her face into Malika's thigh, making another sound of protest despite how relaxed she was. "We need to get to the tomb before nightfall." Bakura grumbled. 

"And we will," Malika said, gently brushing Bakura's hair behind one ear. She leaned down to affectionately brush her nose against Bakura's cheek. "For now, let's enjoy this moment, moonlight." 

Bakura felt her cheeks heat, resisting the urge to bury her face into Malika's thigh further. She instead climbed up into Malika's lap, pressing her still naked body against Malika's. Bakura let her hands wander, fingers dragging up Malika's sides and enjoying the shuddering gasp it elicited. "For now, my sunlight." 

Knowing now that Malika was still sensitive, Bakura continued trailing her fingers up and around the back. Malika relaxed into Bakura's body, wrapping her arms around Bakura's middle as Bakura began rubbing her back. 

Malika's mewls pleased Bakura, happy to treat her partner despite her urgency before. Bakura pressed her lips against Malika's shoulder as her fingers kneaded gently into her muscles, pulling a soft groan from Malika. 

They stayed like that, enjoying each other's afterglow until the air began to chill their naked bodies. 

Eventually they pulled away from each other, Bakura sneaking a playfull kiss on Malika's breast before collecting the clothing they carelessly tossed aside. True to Malika's promise, they still managed to make it to the tomb by nightfall. 

Malika seemed agitated, whether by the long ride or by nerves. It wasn't her first raid, but Bakura knew how to calm her. After leading their horse to somewhere hidden, Bakura turned to face Malika. "We won't be trapped." 

"I know." 

"We know what to look out for, we will grab what we can and get out safe." 

"I know we will." 

Bakura cupped Malika's cheek, a smirk pulling her lips feeling Malika's head tilt into her hand. "I have your back, love." 

"I know," Malika smiled, lifting her gaze to meet Bakura's, "I trust you." 

Bakura's thumb gently traced Malika's cheekbone. “I know you do.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first try with genderswap. Why with citronshipping? Because I felt like being a little self indulgent and soft thieves is an indulgence for me~ I'm not 100% happy with it because it feels very "in the middle of a story", but I couldn't figure out how to remedy that;;
> 
> Soo I guess for background, Bakura had found Malika trapped in the tomb she lived in. The raid they're about to attempt is the second Malika's gone with Bakura for. Aaand that's all the background I have except at some point they fell for each other. c:
> 
> Ah, and this is one of the prompts I doubled up on for one fic. At the time I was trying to balance writing A King's Challenge to Fate and this but...didn't work out like I hoped. :c


	8. Gemshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9- “You shouldn’t have come here.”
> 
> **Warning:** brief mention of emaciation

“You shouldn’t have come here.” 

His voice was tired and scratchy from disuse, entirely different from how Ryou had last heard from him. The confidence and surety that oozed from his being diminished and swallowed by the shadows holding him on his knees. 

He looked like a disgraced and dethroned king. 

Ryou stepped closer, holding a crystal close to his chest to aid his light magic. "I can't leave you here." 

"You should." 

His eyes held Ryou's gaze, dulled by exhaustion. A spirit that lived for millenia fighting, only for it be fought in vain. A man who tried to save his people, believed he failed, and was paying the price. 

"I won't," Ryou spat, though his voice was watery. 

"Why? I hurt you, host." 

"You know as much as I do that wasn't you." Ryou grit his teeth, "As much as those shadow games you played in my body were me." 

The thief was silent at that, his gaze not wandering from Ryou's. "Go back." 

"No." Ryou hissed, tears dotting the edge of his eyes but not falling. 

He took another step, and another, until he knelt in front of the spirit. He held the crystal between them in one hand, tracing the thief's scar with his other hand. "I will fight the Gods themselves if they believe this is just." 

"I killed people, fool." The thief spat, pulling away, "My soul could never pass the weighing-" 

"If the pharaoh can pass after the things he'd done before he knew who he was, you can." Ryou's voice was bitter. The thief was silent. 

"Yugi told me the things he'd done, how scared he had been but the _Pharaoh_ had a choice. Zorc wouldn't let you fail a second time, with how much you put into the final game." 

At the mention of Zorc, the shadows seemed to press in more, as if Ryou had suddenly caught their attention. 

"Ryou," the thief whispered, a note of fear in his voice Ryou had never heard before, "Leave. Now." 

"Not without you." Ryou repeated. He shut his eyes and focused inward, spreading the light magic further and dispelling the shadows. 

Even the ones holding the thief withered and Ryou eagerly tore them away, pulling the emaciated thief into his arms as he stood. "He won't have you," Ryou muttered, stepping back towards the entrance he came through, "You're mine." 

The thief looked up at Ryou confused, ignoring the shiver that ran down his spine at the admittance. He clung to Ryou's shoulders, relishing in the light magic that seemed to spill in waves. However the peace was short lived, cut short by a furious roar deep within the shadows. 

Ryou's steps faltered, but he continued backward, muttering softly under his breath. The thief could feel the magic grow, even so much to transfer into him. The light inside grew, and he could feel his Ka stir. He was sure now, believing in Ryou's words. Maybe he could even see his people again. 

As a last resort, a clawed hand reached out of the darkness. Not towards the thief, but Ryou. 

The thief's eyes widened, and his Ka responded in kind, appearing between them to block the swipe. He cried out from the impact, but didn't falter. Ryou's stubborn nature didn't come from nothing. He used what little of his strength was left to drag himself and Ryou to the exit. Only when he was about to pull Ryou through did he call Diabound back, and then they were thrown to the floor... 

At Yugi's feet? 

Yugi didn't seem to care, focused solely on sealing the exit with Ryou passed out from exhaustion. The thief pressed his fingers to Ryou's throat, relieved to still feel a pulse there. He shook from adrenaline, keeping hold of Ryou like it was the only thing keeping him in the room. He barely felt the tears in his eyes as he pressed his face into Ryou's chest, quietly murmuring his thanks in his mother tongue. 

He was reminded of the other man in the room, feeling Yugi reach around him to check on Ryou as well. "Dammit, I told him not to exert himself..." 

The thief looked up at Yugi, holding Ryou closer as he tried his best to look threatening in his weakened state. This seemed to only cause Yugi to smile. 

"Thank you, for making sure he got out safe." 

The thief looked down at Ryou, resting a hand on his chest. "Why? Why did he do this?" he paused, looking up at Yugi, "Why did you do this?" 

Yugi shook his head, looking at Ryou's face fondly. The answer Yugi gave was not one the thief expected. 

"He loves you. And after he told me about what you fought for, I think you deserve a second chance."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now, you are noticing I'm writing a lot...and I mean a LOT with TKB for this fictober :P


	9. Casteshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10- "You think this troubles me?"

“You think this troubles me?” Atem panted, tilting his head upward in an attempt to relieve the pressure of Bakura's dagger on his throat. 

Bakura grinned, letting Atem's scimitar dig into the skin of his own throat. "It should, highness. You are a hair away from demise." 

"As are you, thief." the Pharaoh responded, a smirk tugging on his lips. 

Neither would go down, nor did either want the little game they played each night to end. This was the fourth assassination attempt by the thief. The first time they'd been caught, and great care was taken in ensuring the Pharaoh was well guarded. 

The Thief King always found his way around them though. And this time both took care not to show any injury on Atem's person. Atem had barely gotten away with excusing the bruise on his throat as an all-too eager lover, that the Pharaoh held no ill will towards them. 

Atem had no issue in creating the lie, it felt more like a half truth. 

"Your handle of that weapon is weak, at best. It would be a shame for our game to end, were a less generous man to make an attempt." 

Atem's smirk grew into a grin, barely holding back a laugh. "Are you implying you are the only one allowed to keep me captive, thief? How bold." 

Bakura pulled his knife from Atem's throat and stepped back, crouching into a defensive pose. "No excuses, boy-king. Come at me again, don't make me have to guide your hands." 

Atem scoffed, lowering his scimitar and twirling the hilt in his hands as he prepared to lunge at Bakura again. "You got lucky, thief."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna say when I wrote this, I didn't ship it...
> 
> I got into gemshipping by writing it once...so uhh...now I ship caste too, unrelated to writing this :P


	10. Boundshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 11- “But I will never forget! I couldn’t forget you.”

_“But I will never forget! I couldn't forget you.”_

_"We'll see, my morning star."_

_"I swear, I will never forget you, your name will always be carved in my heart."_

_The thief laughed, pulling the other man into a brief kiss. "Alright, alright, I believe you!"_

* * *

Bakura had lured the Pharaoh away from his kingdom, wreaking havoc as he went. He watched with glee as Diabound fought against Slifer, watching as each attack hit the Pharaoh hard. 

The last blow sent the Pharaoh off his horse, and Bakura was certain he had the upper hand. Once he was out of the way, the Priests would be easy enough to pick off. 

Bakura barely noticed the movement below, however Yugi's voice carried to him. He froze, a barrier in his memory that had sealed cracking. Looking down, he saw Yugi holding Atem and helped him to his feet. 

Disbelief flooded his mind, memories of a lover he'd hid away. The despair when he had been lost, the anger at the Gods for taking what little he had left for what he believed was a just cause. 

"...Yugi?" he rasped, the name foreign on his tongue. It wasn't Yugi, it never was Yugi. But they looked the same. 

Yugi seemed to hear Bakura, but looked at him with anger and determination. "We're here with you Pharaoh." 

The phrase stung in Bakura's heart, momentarily distracting him from the attack on Diabound. He cried out, stumbling back. 

_"I swear, I will never forget you, your name will always be carved in my heart."_

The Gods had taken everything from him, not even his lover's promise was enough. No matter how much he told himself Yugi wasn't him, a part of him was scorned. The single glimmer of hope that his name had not been lost to time flickered out. 

A low chuckle escaped him, his eyes losing light. He bitterly urged Diabound to fight, feeding into the betrayal he felt. He truly had nothing left to lose, but he refused to die here. He refused to let the Pharaoh take anything else away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this diversion from canon, Yugi only remembers after the fact, is angry at himself for not trying to help Bakura in any way, and then drags him out of the shadows away from Zorc once Atem passes. Because dang it, it was hard for me to write this with how cute this pairing is to me ;n;


	11. Conspireshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 12- "Who could do this?
> 
> While it's all fake, there are mentions of blood, murder, and decapitation. All for some fake supernatural roleplay c;
> 
> Yami Malik is "Kek" (of course lol)

“Who could do this?” Ryou feigned a gasp, eyes wide in horror staring at the 'bodies' of his lovers on the floor. 

The 'bodies' were, on closer inspection, blow up dolls dressed in their old clothes and wigs to give them the likeness of his boyfriends, fake blood splattered over them and the floor. Ryou, committing to his act, fell to his knees and covered his face to "weep" into his hands. 

The three were huddled hidden in different parts of the room, but Ryou ignored them as he crawled to the bed. They'd used cheap sheets, but Bakura still had to cover Malik's mouth to make sure he didn't ruin Ryou's immersion. Kek could barely contain his excitement on the other side of the room, having happily helped Ryou set up their room to look like a murder scene. 

It was strange roleplay, but they could make stranger concepts work. 

Ryou reached down to place a hand on what was Malik's 'body', choking back a sob before curling in the middle of the bed, hugging a pillow close. That was their cue to enter the scene. No one was dressed, but had wounds and 'mist' painted on their bodies to make up their ghostly appearance. 

Kek picked up a head with his wig hidden by the bed, his body purposely fallen behind it to hide the blow up doll's head. "Oh, Wherefore art thou Ryou?" 

Ryou had to hide the smile behind the pillow he clung to. Bakura scoffed, trying not to crack a smirk while Malik stifled his own giggles. "That's not the right phrase, Kek. That's not even the right play." 

Ryou feigned his shock and shrieked, scrambling back against the bed. "No, It can't be! My lovers have returned to me?" 

"We couldn't leave without saying goodbye." Malik said wistfully, throwing himself into the act. 

"Not that we want to leave you." Kek added, carelessly dropping 'his' head. 

"We cannot rest until we can ease your suffering." Bakura finished, crawling slowly onto the bed and wiping non-existent tears from Ryou's cheeks. 

Ryou leaned his head into Bakura's hand, smiling sadly. "Oh...oh my loves," he cooed, reaching out with a shaky hand, "It's so cruel that someone took you away from me. I was so eager to make love tonight." 

"We can still make love to you," Kek soothed, crawling on the bed and settling on Bakura's left as Malik settled on his right. 

"Look," Malik smiled as he gently placed a hand on Ryou's thigh, "We can still touch you." 

"But you're so cold." Ryou moaned, punctuating how 'cold' he felt with a shiver. 

"We'll make you warm." Bakura responded, grinning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First multiship! :D I honestly laughed while writing this, shame I can't write actual explicit content for _shit_.


	12. Sickleshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 13- “Try harder, next time.”
> 
> Both of them are in their late teens here, so if that bothers you then move along~ (not that they're actively trying to do anything in this :P)
> 
> "Malik" in this is Yami Malik.

“Try harder, next time.” Bakura teased, keeping Malik's arms pinned above his head. 

A glare was his only response from the man under him, followed by impatient squirming. Bakura caught the hitch in his breath before it was audible. "How am I supposed to know what I'm messing up if you won't tell me? Let me up." Malik hissed. 

Bakura snorted and pulled away from Malik, unpinning him. "Observe. See what your opponent will do before they do it. Be more unpredictable." He flexed his arms, stretching his legs as he let Malik recover and get into defensive position. "Learn from your own mistakes." 

Bakura turned to Malik, grinning. "How about incentive?" 

Malik scoffed, getting out of his defensive position to stretch some as they spoke. "I'm listening." 

"If I pin you again, you're providing tonight's meal. If you pin me, I will provide our meal and something extra." Bakura raised an eyebrow, resting his hands on his hips. 

Malik seemed to pause his stretching, humming in thought. "Something extra...anything I want?" 

Bakura shrugged, not giving a clear indication if Malik would really benefit or not. Malik contemplated his options, before getting into defensive position again. "Deal. Come at me-" 

Malik had no time to finish his taunt, as Bakura lunged at him and Malik had just enough time to hold Bakura back. Bakura lept back and circled Malik, but Malik never let him out of his sight. He noticed Bakura was watching his footwork, but knew better than to focus too much on where Bakura looked. 

He wouldn't be that obvious with his intentions. 

Malik decided to take his turn to lunge instead, barely blocking Bakura's leg from hooking and dragging him onto his back. In his panic to keep Bakura from finding an opening, he attempted the same tactic against Bakura. 

Bakura took the chance and ran with it, grabbing his leg and pulling to get Malik off balance. It worked, but he did not expect the other man to crash into him, both falling to the sand beneath them. 

They both scrambled for purchase, and Malik managed to gain the upper hand; pinning Bakura's arms to his side. Bakura never went down that easy however, wrapping his legs around Malik's hips and bucking up to try throwing Malik off. In their early teens, this tactic would never fail; Malik's breath hitching and attempting to scramble away before Bakura pounced and won that match. 

It was unfair to do so, but Bakura never tried to fight fairly. 

Now Malik could easily take the pseudo thrusts, though he still grew tense with the first thrust. He growled deep in his throat, deciding to turn the tactic back on Bakura and slamming his hips down against Bakura's. 

The lewd groan that escaped Bakura made both of them freeze. Malik's eyes were wide and pupil's blown, his cheeks dark with flush. Bakura's face seemed to lose colour, his eyes mirroring Malik's. Both men didn't move for some time. 

Bakura recovered first, shoving Malik off before getting up. "I'll count that as your win if you never speak of what just happened." he said in an unusually timid voice. 

Malik nodded, losing his own voice for a moment before clearing his throat and brushing the sand from his body. "Right." 

The walk back to their campground was awkward, both men recognizing the reaction for what it was. Neither were sure how to act on it, or if the other was interested in acting on it. Bakura didn't speak after, the only hint that he was keeping his word being the ruffling into their rations. Malik didn't speak either, mindlessly whittling away a rib bone- which he found partially buried on the way back- to a point. 

It wasn't until Bakura had got a small fire going to cook on that he spoke up. "I'm still not going easy on you, even if you used that dirty trick on me." 

Malik snorted, looking up from his work at the tiny licks of flame. "Didn't expect you to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of an alternate universe for a sickleship fanfic I'm working on right now, though this isn't really a scene I've written out yet. Aside from this, I won't spoil any more~ ;P


	13. Vampire AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 14- “Some people call this wisdom.”

"...And since that night, no one has visited the house." Ryou finished, gesturing to the abandoned building in front of them. 

“Some people call this wisdom.” Joey quipped from behind the camera, trying to keep it steady though his arms trembled in the cold night air. "Seriously, why am I here again?" 

"To film the experience, catch things we don't see when looking around," Yugi listed, glancing back and grinning at his friend, "have evidence in case a ghost tries to kill us." 

"Ah come on, Yugi." Joey whined, following his friends regardless, "I'm already about to turn and run off here!" 

Ryou approached a window that was broken, peering in before gesturing to Ryou to get closer. "Let's get the first look inside." 

Joey groaned quietly but moved closer, pointing the camera and sweeping the area. 

"I don't see any evidence of squatters, I think we can climb in here easy enough." 

"Or just...open the door?" Yugi said hesitantly. He had approached the door already, his hand on the knob with the door pushed in slightly. 

Joey swiveled himself and got a good look at Yugi's slightly spooked face. "That should be locked. That absolutely should be locked, guys." He said nervously. 

Ryou, on the other hand, looked a bit too excited. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed, moving away from the window, "That makes things a lot easier. I hope that doesn't mean people have been messing with our ghost in here already." 

Ryou lead the group inside, Joey trailing and sweeping his camera around, pausing on the kitchen seeing a flicker of something in the corner of his eyes. "How can people even mess with one? Isn't that what we're doing now?" 

"We're only visiting," Ryou explained, peeking around in the kitchen seeing Joey pointing the camera there, "It's when you get ouija boards and demons involved that things get bad." 

"Oh!" Joey squeaked, squeezing the camera in his hand. 

"Come on Ryou, we don't want our cameraman running off on us." Yugi chuckled, patting Joey's shoulder. 

They continued looking around the first floor, and daring to venture the second floor for a moment. Yugi took a step and nearly slipped, pulling his leg back and recoiling a bit realizing what he stepped in. "Ugh. Alright, keep an eye out for bats, guys." 

Joey focused mainly on Yugi trying to scrape the guano off his shoe, snickering softly at Yugi's plight until Ryou called for them excitedly. "Guys, come look!" 

Yugi and Joey exchanged glances, unsure of what would get Ryou so excited. They walked to the room Ryou was in, watching more carefully for any other bat droppings. Joey hid behind Yugi, the camera being the only thing still held out. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" 

Like out of a horror movie, there was an old chair sitting at one end of the room. And sat on it, was a antique handmade doll. 

"We won't take her, of course." Ryou sounded as if he was assuring someone. The ghost, Joey assumed as he slowly swept the camera around the room. "I can't imagine how old that doll is. Wow. She's not even dusty or covered in cobwebs." 

"Nope. Nope, I didn't need to hear that." Joey voiced his complaint, a chill running down his spine. "Okay, we've seen the house. Let's go back to the car." 

"Joey, we still have the basement to check. We'll just take a quick peek, and then we'll go rewatch what you captured." 

Yugi gave Joey an apologetic look, knowing that checking the basement last had been Ryou's idea of being generous. Joey swallowed thickly, not responding as they headed back down the stairs and toward the door to the basement. 

It was already open a crack. 

"We can make bets on what's down there." Ryou offered, attempting to lighten the mood. 

"Then my bet's on nothing, because that's what I _want_ to be down there." Joey replied, adjusting the camera. 

Ryou opened the door slowly, grabbing his phone and turning on the flashlight function. "Might need night vision to record down here, Joey." Yugi said as he turned on the light of his own phone. 

Joey bit his lip, doing as Yugi suggested before slowly following the two down. 

"I'm going to bet there's bats down here." Yugi said, sweeping his light on the ceiling of the basement. 

"Okay, then I'm going to bet on vampires." Ryou announced, checking the floor and further into the room 

"You would," Yugi teased, grinning. "What are we betting with?" 

"Losers pay for the winner's burger?" 

As the other two discussed the bet, Joey quietly scoped around the room with his camera. He used the night vision as his way of looking around without exploring with the other two. He heard a shift from behind him and jumped, spinning around to point his camera in the darkness. 

Nothing was there except for a stack of boxes and some tattered fabric hanging off a closet door frame. 

Shaking his head, he called back to his friends. "Okay guys, we've seen the basement. Can we _please_ get back to the car?" 

He turned to point the camera at the other two, Yugi looking towards Ryou as he slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Yeah, maybe we'll come back at night. At least we might see bats." 

Yugi shrugged, smiling weakly at Joey. "Guess we owe you a burger." 

Joey grinned, suddenly very confident now that he knew they were leaving. "Now that's worth all the trouble." He exclaimed, allowing the other two to head up first with their flashlights before heading up himself. 

Joey gave one look down the stairs to give a final goodbye, but the taunt died on his lips. 

The camera showed nothing but in the light from the open basement door, he could see a pale face peering up at him. Eyes red, watching him with amusement. Hair just barely whiter than the person's complexion. 

The being grinned, flashing their long sharp canines and giving Joey a small wave. 

Joey felt the blood leave his face, stumbling back before rushing out the door. He'd be willing to pay for Ryou's lunches for a week if it meant staying away from that house from then on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just have a guess who was at the end there~ ;3


	14. Crosshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 15- “I thought you had forgotten.”
> 
> This is based off [A Budding Relationship](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15068966), but can be read separately. "Malik" is Yami Malik in this.
> 
> [And here's some music for the mood of this oneshot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNfdu7umYHM), which also is one of a few songs I played on repeat writing the fic this was based on c:

“I thought you had forgotten.” Yugi murmured, embarrassed. 

Malik grinned and hugged Yugi close. "I'm sorry I made you think so, but I wanted to make sure this was perfect." 

It had been a year since Malik started dating Yugi, and he was desperate to show just how happy the gardener had made him. He first thought of enjoying dinner on the roof with their garden, but had trouble thinking of how he would implant his anniversary gift into the setting. 

So he went home early, texting Yugi that he'll be back to go with him to the garden that night. It stung Malik like thorns to his heart seeing Yugi's unenthusiastic replies; he hoped that Yugi wouldn't be too angry at him for seeming to forget. 

He'd been hanging up fairy lights and thin fabric around his living room all day, moving furniture around so they could lay on the floor to enjoy a movie after their meal. He even prepared dinner early, leaving everything in the oven to keep warm and hiding their desert behind leftover containers just in case. 

But the gift for Yugi he saved for last, hidden in his haste in the backyard amongst the pots of lavender and his starter herb garden. It expressed how he felt in the simplest of ways, and he couldn't wait to see Yugi's reaction. 

Malik quickly plated their meal, eager to see if Yugi recognized the dish as the first he'd made with his herb bouquet. Thankfully he did and eagerly ate, the rose colour on his cheeks telling Malik just how much he appreciated the gesture. 

The dessert was simple enough, but learning to make candied lavender had been a difficult process which his sister, Isis, thankfully helped him with. In return, he promised her he would bring Yugi to meet his siblings soon. 

It was all worth the growing blush appearing on Yugi's face, and the giggles that escaped him despite trying to cover his mouth. It warmed Malik's heart, seeing how happy Yugi was after all the uncertain glances he pretended not to notice. 

He wanted to save his gift, but he could no longer wait after their food was finished. He wanted Yugi to feel every ounce of love he had to give. 

"I have something for you in my backyard, follow me." He said, not bothering to hide his nervous excitement as he held out his hand for Yugi to take. 

Yugi gave Malik a curious look as he stood, following his boyfriend to the backyard. He looked around outside, wondering if he could see Malik's gift. He turned his head hearing a crinkle of plastic and paper. He stopped, eyes wide as he stared at the bouquet in Malik's hands. 

The bouquet was an explosion of colour, the sunflowers and lilac tucked together between a collection of red and pink roses. Violets and fern bordered the roses, and in the middle of it all were pansies. Bright red pansies, with yellow bordering the dark center. 

Similar to the ones Malik gave him a year ago. 

Malik looked up, noticing Yugi had spotted the bouquet, and smiled warmly. He gently planted the bushel in Yugi's hand before clearing his throat to speak. "I, uh, I looked up what these flowers meant, and I wanted to tell you their meaning to me." 

Yugi held the bouquet close, eyes dewy from emotion. He nodded, bringing the flowers to his face to inhale. His heart felt like it would burst. 

"The violets symbolize my loyalty and devotion, the ferns the sincerity of my feelings and love for you," Malik kept his eyes on the paper, but Yugi could see his cheeks redden even in the evening light. 

"The roses; pink to express my happiness, and red to show my love. I'm happy to have known you, and I want you to know I love you." Yugi was tearing up now, fondly stroking the fern's leaves. 

"The lilac is to show you have been my first love, the sunflower is to show how I adore you. And..." Malik smiled a little shyly, gesturing to his hair. 

Yugi loosed a watery giggle, prompting Malik to lift his head. His breath caught seeing Yugi holding the bouquet so tenderly with a teary expression. "Oh, Yugi..." 

"Keep going," Yugi whispered, switching the arm holding the bouquet to wipe his eyes, "I want to hear it all." 

Malik hesitated, then nodded, looking at the paper in his hand with a fond expression. "Pansies symbolize thoughts, and you are always in my thoughts. I look at these flowers and think of you," he looked up then, folding the paper up again. "Happy anniversary, Yugi." 

Yugi couldn't hold back a sob then, rushing over to hug Malik tightly but making sure the flowers were safe. Malik hugged Yugi in return, burying his face into his hair. 

"This makes my gift look so lame." Yugi joked, nuzzling into Malik's chest. 

Malik pushed Yugi away to look at his face, curiosity written on his face. "My gift?" 

Yugi nodded, taking Malik's hand to pull him inside again. Yugi gently set the bouquet on the kitchen table, letting go of Malik to dig into his night bag and pulling out a gift box. "Happy anniversary. I...hope you like it." 

Malik gently opened the box, and pulled out the mug inside. Painted on the mug were the very pansies he'd given Yugi a year ago, bordered by stalks of wheat on each side. Malik stared in awe. 

"I hope it's okay, I commissioned my friend Anzu to do it. She almost didn't accept my money finding out what it was for, heh." Malik looked up at Yugi, seeing him looking at the floor and rubbing the back of his neck, "I still paid her for it though; I don't know if you use mugs, b-" 

Yugi didn't get to finish his sentence, Malik setting the mug down before sweeping Yugi into his arms, kissing him passionately. He set Yugi down carefully before parting the kiss, brushing Yugi's hair away from his face. "I love it, my Yugi. I love it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I'm going to keep being indulgent with this AU and it's going to end with them married surrounded by their flowers and adopting a kid and giving their new baby flowery pet names. I swear :P


	15. Deathshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 16- “This is gonna be so much fun!”  
> Day 17- “I’ll tell you but you’re not gonna like it.”
> 
> Yami Malik is "Amir".
> 
> **Warning:** Fake blood/gore

“This is gonna be so much fun!” Amir snickered, excitedly watching Ryou apply the prosthetic wound to his leg. 

"Just try not to scare anyone too badly." Ryou teased, applying the final touches with a clotted mess of fake blood. 

Both of them decided on dressing up as zombies and handing out candy to the kids that tried to fight them or cried out of fright. Halloween night was supposed to be fun after all, and Amir loved having permission to dress so grotesquely. 

They did similar things each year, but this year they decided to mess with the teenagers that would visit the local graveyard at night. Sure they'd be trespassing as well, but Ryou felt it would be the cherry on top of their halloween night plans. That, and Amir didn't want to lose a bet to Bakura. 

Ryou went to clean off the tools he used once finished, setting out his coloured contacts after the tools and his hands were clean. He leaned close to the mirror as he applied them. "Maybe we can find a park to practice shuffling around grass in. You put all of the candy bars in the bag, right?" 

Amir reached beside him and pulled up a bag decorated with a pattern of bat silhouettes and pumpkins. "All set." 

He got up from his seat and stood behind Ryou, watching him put the contacts in. "You look absolutely frightening." Amir cooed, resting his hand on Ryou's hip. 

Ryou had messed up his hair, two strands sticking out from his head no matter how much he tried to mess with them. Amir insisted on one side of his hair being matted down with the fake blood, despite Ryou's warnings about how hard it would be to clean up after the fact. Both wore old tattered clothing, sacrificing old costumes to give the illusion of being actual zombies on halloween night. 

They never went too gory though, not while they're handing out candy. 

Ryou chuckled at the amorous tone; moving his arm to cup Amir's face in his hand, using the mirror to guide him. "Mon cher." 

Amir grinned, turning his head to kiss Ryou's hand. "Careful, we wouldn't want our make up ruined already." He stepped away to let Ryou put on the rest of his costume, having neglected to in favour of applying the prosthetics and make up. 

As much as they loved handing out treats, they couldn't wait to pull off this year's trick. 

* * *

Ryou tucked the now empty treat bag under his arm to wave at the last group of kids they ran into. Amir had an amused smile still on his face as he waved, having had one of the girls ask them to pose for a selfie with her. "That was a first." he mused, lowering his arm. 

"I'm surprised it hasn't happened to us until now." Ryou replied, folding the treat bag to put it in his shoulder bag. "Ready for the next phase?" 

"Hell yeah, I'm ready." Amir cheered, playfully bumping his hip to Ryou's. 

They crossed the street and headed back the way they came, this time turning towards where the cemetery was. Ryou hummed as he stared at the fence, then at their clothes. 

"I hope our costumes won't catch on the fence, I thought we could reuse these some other time." 

"Ah, what's a couple more rips?" Amir said as he started his climb over the fence, "Come on Ryou, I'll help you over once I reach the other side." 

Ryou sighed, smiling at Amir's eagerness, and started climbing the fence himself. Neither of them got caught in the fence luckily, the fabric of their costumes thin enough to tear if an edge caught. Amir admired the large tear in his costumes pants, playfully flaunting the bit of thigh that showed. 

"Now I'm in a sexy zombie costume." Amir teased, grinning at Ryou as the other man tried to hide his flushed face. 

"I could make you a better sexy zombie costume, you know I would." Ryou teased back. 

They didn't bring flashlights to keep unseen, but Ryou realized he would need it since the coloured lenses impaired his vision. Amir discreetly turned on his phone light and took Ryou's hand when Ryou told him, leading them further into the cemetery. 

It didn't take long to stumble across a small group of older teens, hearing them before actually seeing them. Amir pulled them both out of sight and shut off the phone light. 

"They're making enough noise to wake the dead." Amir whispered, smirking at the irony of his joke. 

Ryou chuckled, pulling Amir into a brief kiss. His eyes shone with excitement, eager for their first real scare. "And wake the dead they're about to do." 

They slipped behind trees and statuettes, keeping hidden even when a couple of the teens seemed to see their movement. When they got close enough, they resolved to charge the teens to spook them. Amir watched Ryou stumble into view to distract them, stunned a moment to see fake blood drip from his lips. 

He must have brought the blood capsules after all, he'd have to snag a couple for himself next round. 

He waited until the teens started getting brave before darting out with a snarl, reaching for one holding the flashlight. As he hoped, they all shrieked and stumbled over each other as they ran for the exit. 

Once they had cleared out, Ryou burst out laughing. "Wow Amir, I don't think they'll be coming back any time soon after that." 

"Likely not." Amir grinned in response. After Ryou's laughter calmed, he walked up and dabbed a bit of blood from Ryou's chin. "Are you gonna share those blood capsules with me, dear?" 

Ryou smiled and reached into a pocket of his shoulder bag, placing one in Amir's hand. "One for now, you might not like the taste of it." 

* * *

The night was going well, scaring off teens either by shambling out from a grove of trees or hissing threats from beyond the grave. Unbeknownst to the two, the caretaker had caught a few of these teens running and gotten suspicious. 

Amir ran out, eager from the adrenaline of the last scare despite Ryou hissing at him to wait, and almost ran right into the groundskeeper. Ryou slumped his shoulders and stepped out too, covering his eyes from the brightness of the flashlight. 

"Damn, no wonder you got those kids running scared." The groundskeeper mused, a small smirk on his face, "Next time, let me do my job though." 

Ryou and Amir tried to protest, but in the end the groundskeeper decided not to charge them on one condition: He got to make a call to whoever oversaw them both. Amir glanced at Ryou, who had his head down as he fished for his phone. 

It didn't take long for Rishid and Malik to arrive, both looking very annoyed. Rishid held a scream mask under his arm, while Malik kept slightly behind him. He was looking at Amir with a particularly disgusted expression, likely because of the fake blood matting down his hair. 

"What in the world were you two thinking?" Malik exclaimed, throwing his arms up, "Why, off all the things you could've done today, did you sneak into a graveyard?!" 

Ryou sighed in defeat, but Amir was smirking. “I’ll tell you but you’re not gonna like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In reference to Ryou calling Amir "Mon cher", I sort of headcanon that he learned to romance Ryou from Morticia and Gomez while bingeing Addams Family~


	16. Liberashipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 18- "You should have seen it."

“You should have seen it.” Malik chuckled, leaning onto the railing of the boat. "The look on the guy's face when I managed to pass him in that race. Surprised he didn't crash his bike the way he stared." 

Malik was in his riding outfit, relaxed and content as he stared out into the water. He continued to talk about his adventures, but Yugi was just barely paying attention. 

The light of the setting sun reflected gorgeously off Malik's face, and making his wind-swept hair look like fire. The light reflected in his eyes was like the shine of gold against lavender cloth. 

Yugi knew Malik was attractive, and he had never done anything different today. But it seems like here, he was in his element. 

Or it's quite possible that Yugi was falling head over heels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet, and a bit of a secret indulgent ship shhhh~


	17. Boundshipping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 19- “Oh please, like this is the worst I have done.”

“Oh please, like this is the worst I have done.” 

"Those are my grandpa's holiday lights, Bakura! They're for the shop!" 

Bakura, tangled in a string of lights on the floor, giving Yugi a sheepish grin. "I was trying to surprise you?" 

Yugi pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to smile but slowly failing. "Well, I'm surprised. How did you get so tangled up?!" 

"A good magician never reveals his secrets." Bakura replied, shooting a finger at Yugi with the hand that wasn't wrapped in lights and winking. 

"Dork," Yugi murmured, walking over to Bakura's side. "Let's get you out of this mess." 

"Afterward, can we get something to eat?" Bakura asked, while helping Yugi figure out how to get him untangled, "I've been stuck here for a while..." 

Yugi shook his head as he carefully unwound the string of lights from his arm. "Let me guess, an hour?" 

"More like three." 

Bakura flinched a little at the look Yugi gave him. "I almost had it..." Bakura murmured, flexing his arm as it was slowly freed. 

"THREE hours, you've been down here. What possessed you to even come down here?" 

"Zorc?" Bakura teasingly suggested, and was pinched for his efforts. 

"Ow! Gods, okay, I wanted to decorate the shop so you didn't have to use that rickety old ladder and get hurt." 

Yugi ignored Bakura's pout as he rubbed the spot he'd been pinched with his newly freed hand, a soft expression coming over his face. "You could've just asked for help, you know." 

Bakura huffed, his cheeks a shade darker in the dim light coming from outside the shop. "Defeats the purpose of a surprise." He mumbled, looking more at the lights he was untangling himself from. 

Yugi pulled the lights free from Bakura's body, examining Bakura and the floor carefully. Certain none of the bulbs had broken, he plugged one end to see if any bulbs needed replacing. Luckily only two needed to be seen to. 

He unplugged the lights, then grabbed Bakura's hoodie to pull him into an abrupt kiss. "Never do that again, but thank you." 

Much to Bakura's dismay, Yugi slipped into the back room and hauled out the very ladder he distrusted. Yugi spotted the way Bakura glared at it and chuckled. "I'll coil the lights, you can hold the ladder while I put them up? You'll be able to catch me if I fell." 

" _When_ you fell." Bakura muttered, arms crossed, "I could build you a better one." 

Yugi placed the folded ladder against a wall, walking over to pick up the string of lights to start coiling it. Bakura took it away swiftly, doing the work Yugi was about to start on. "If all I'm doing is holding the ladder, at least let me do this." 

"I thought you might get yourself tangled again." Yugi teased, earning himself a playful nudge. 

Unbeknownst to the two, Solomon watched them from the doorway. He had come to offer his help hearing their voices carrying up to the house, but stopped hearing Bakura's reasoning for messing with the lights. And now, seeing the two banter back and forth as they worked, he decided he'd leave the two to their task. 

And maybe grab the two burger meals as a thank you for their hard work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this in November, so I was getting out of the halloween mood...thus this~
> 
> Also in this one Bakura sorta takes on a lot of grunt work for the shop, but isn't officially working there. He helps work around the house too, especially when it's something Yugi's concerned about.


	18. Yami Bakura(ish)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 20- “I hope you have a speech prepared.”

“I hope you have a speech prepared," The Spirit of the Ring spat venomously at the figure shrouded by light, despite how it blinded him, "because I'll only give you thirty seconds to speak. What do you want?" 

The figure stepped out of the light. The Ring Spirit's eyes widened a touch to see, not the Pharaoh, but Yugi moving towards him. 

"I'm not one for speeches, but I've had some practice." 

Yugi knelt in front of the spirit, but kept a comfortable distance. 

"And what would the Pharaoh's vessel want with the spirit that tormented his friends?" 

"I made a promise, to a couple people actually. I'm bringing you home." 

The Ring spirit snarled, leaned in closer to Yugi's face. "I have none." 

Yugi's lips turned up in a small smile, unfazed. "Your mother says otherwise." 

The Spirit of the Ring threw his head back in laughter, his hands catching him from falling back completely. "What sort of joke is this? The _Pharaoh_ sends his vessel out to the shadows to find me, only to taunt me with false words from a mother that no longer exists?" 

Yugi shook his head. "You can choose not to believe me, but this is the only time I will visit you. If you send me away, then I will leave." 

The spirit hesitated, but did not speak; he wanted to hear what Yugi had to say. 

After a beat of silence, Yugi continued. "The Pharaoh wished to see your people, but they refused to be known to him. He already gave them their freedom, but they won't be at peace until the Survivor comes home. That's what your father told me." 

"Every passing day your mother has made bread with no child to feed, made clothes with no son to dress. For as long as she's seen sunlight come and go, she has watched the horizon for you. She has offered the Gods the bread and clothing meant for you, but they refused her." 

Yugi smiled then, amusement clear on his face. "That, and if I returned without you, she would come find you herself. Something both of us might regret. That is what your mother told me." 

A chuckle escaped the spirit's lips, and stared past Yugi into the light. A feeling of nostalgia swept through him like a wave crashing to shore, the first thing he felt besides fury in a millennia. 

"It...sounds like her." 

Yugi took in the fond expression on the Ring Spirit's face, but did not mention it. "Zorc took your name so you couldn't be with them. But I found it again, and I will give it to you if you agree to come with me." 

The spirit frowned then, glancing aside. "...Why? Why do this, what do you gain?" 

Yugi moved closer then, placing a hand on a shoulder now covered in soiled linens rather than the woven cotton of his last host's shirt. "To repair the damage shadow magic has done to our world, to us. To you. Even a thief should be allowed a final judgement." 

The Ring spirit stared at his hands, noticing for the first time they were no longer pale. He scrambled back and leapt to stand, taking in what was his old body. His name came easily to mind, but he would not repeat it in the Shadows. He would not let them take it again. 

He laughed much more joyfully than before, the scar on his face doing little to hinder the infectious grin on his face. For the first time, the Thief King's eyes met Yugi's; the grin never leaving his face. 

"Well? Lead the way, Mutou." 

* * *

The light of day crossed into the isolated village. Most of the villagers were resting on their mats or hard at work with making that morning's meal. One woman walked the path, a small loaf held in her hands as she walked through her home. The few people that saw her spared pitied glances, but she ignored them. 

Their pity wasn't wanted, she chose to have faith in the Nameless Pharaoh's vessel. If he could find Pharaoh Atem's name, he could find her son and bring him home. 

The bread cracked quietly as her hands squeezed it, betraying her nervousness. 

She sat on a stone, setting the loaf of bread in her lap as she watched the horizon. It wasn't long before the familiar shock of hair appeared, stopped, and turned. The woman slowly stood, feeling her heart sink with every second. And then, just as grief threatened to overtake her, the Mother of the Survivor saw her son crest the hill and stop. 

The bread fell from her hands, forgotten in the sand. 

She ran toward her child, yelling her son's name loud enough to rouse the huts nearby. It did not take long for word to spread through the village: The Survivor of the Massacre had come home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...I know it's 2019 now...and almost OCTOBER 2019 now...I wanted to finish these~
> 
> Honestly, I wanted to make this a pairing fic, but nothing really came to mind outside of something with Kaiba and I felt that was too obvious :P I did contemplate just posting the ones I did finish and then let this be... buuut there's only a handful of prompts left here, so I'll probably be working on that more to warm up for the other fics I'm working on~


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